Audible and visible alarm



Marh 24, 1953 w. RUSNA'K 2,632,887

AUDIBLE AND VISIBLE ALARM Filed Jan. 11, 1952 Patented Mar. 24, 1953 AUDIBLE AND VISIBLE ALARM William Rusnak, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Afco- Lite Corporation, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 11, 1952, SeriaLNo. .266,049y

1 Claim. (Cl. 340-5253) This invention relates to a signalling device for warning by visible and audible means, of a failure in a source of electric current.

Q'By way of illustrating 'a preferred use of the invention it `will be recognized thatan outbuilding on a farm vmay be utilized as a hatchery. Inasrnuch as in nearly all cases present-day brooders employ electric lamps to provide heat for the chicks, a power failure may lead to loss of an entire brood. Such power failure may occur at a time when the farmer is away from the hatchery, for example, during the night, and, in such case, it is desirable to provide an alarm which is not only audible so as to awaken the farmer from his sleep, but which will also give semi-permanent visible evidence in case the alarm is actuated While the farmer is away from the location thereof.

In devices for the foregoing purpose known to me a switching device, e. g. a relay, was maintained energized by line voltage, and, upon interruption of power, the relay would drop out and close a circuit including a bell and dry cells. Thus, unless the cells were checked periodically and renewed when necessary, it was possible for the device to be inoperative due to deterioration of the cells with age. Obviously such arrangement is far from desirable, since farmers are not Y means and which may be initiated into actionV upon failureV or reduction of line voltage.

In the latter connection it will be appreciated that a reduction of line voltage may diminish the functioning of the facility desired to 'be protected to the point of hazard. For example, heat lamps for brooder use may, when the applied voltage `is reduced by some certain amount, .fail to maintain 'the temperature required for the chicks best welfare. l

Another object is to provide a signalling device for the purpose stated which maybe'connected into the wiring system without alterations therein, or expensive adaption.

Still another yobject .is to provide a. device as aforesaid which may be directly attached to a standard wall receptacle, and without the inter' position of a connecting line.

A further object lies in 'the provision of a device for the purpose statedin which the func-A tioning of the several parts is independent of gravity, andwhereby the device may accordingly be mounted in any position.

An additional object lies in providing a device in accordance with the preceding objects which will indicate, by means of the visible Warning signal, that the ldevice requires resetting, in the eventjit has functioned -to -givethe alarm.v

Other objects will become 'apparent from the' following description taken together with the appended drawing, in which latter:

Fig. 1. shows a front elevational view of a de. vice embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

`Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but enlarged, and with the front of the cover Ycut laway to show the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line ci. Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5`5 oi Fig. 3; and N Fig. 6 is a detail of a portion of Fig. 3, and showing the visible signal in safe position.

In its broadv aspects the invention contemplates the provision of a spring-driven motordriving an anchor escapement of well-knownl type, the.y pallet of the escapement carrying a clapper arranged to strike a bell. Energy is stored in 'the coil spring by a key andthe usual anti-reverse pawl and ratchet. Braking of the clapper, which in turn maintains the spring in wound condition, is effected by means of a solenoid-operated armature having a latch portion. As long as .current flows rthrough the solenoid as a result of line voltage the latch' will retain the clapper immobile. However, upon diminution .or interruption of line voltage the latch .is allowed to move to released position by virture of aretracting spring secured to one end thereof, and .the clapper is, then driven V'by the motor to sound the bell. In. order lto provide a visible signal a red flag` or similar attention-arresting 4device in the nature` of a plunger, or capable of being Operated in a manner similar to a plunger, is` arranged to be .moved by the motor spring proper as it uncols.

Thus, the increasing periphery of the spring may actuate the plunger in the manner of a cam to move the same from a safe position to a" danger position. 4Such conditions may correspond to concealment or revealment of a sub-l stantial portion of the plunger or iiag, as the case may be. t0 mount the device in any position, I prefer to arrange for retraction of the flag by means of'a spring having less force than that of the motor. Alternatively the expanding motor spring may operate a pivoted lever which carries a flag, pointer or equivalent indicia capable of provid-v ing a visible signal corresponding to a completely unwound condition of the spring. i

. Turning now to the drawing. there is shown-by way of example a base plate it backed by a sheetV Il of electrically insulating material upon whicha pair of prongs l2-I2 are partially supported, as by being snugly fitted through slots in the.

sheet Il. Prongs I2-I2 are adapted to be ennoid.

` Mounted rigidlypponthe plate i0 is .a pairc.' sub-plates I8-l9'whic'h are provided with aper' Since it is desirable to beable,

where the device is located may, at a glance, observe whether an alarm has been given.

To this end there is provided a plunger II having a head 'I2 adapted to bear on the surface of the spring 24, and guided within a sleeve 'I3 secured to one side of the housing 4d. A compression spring 'I5 serves to bias the plunger inwardspindle 2I and thus, while the spring 24 is being Wound, and thereafter during such time as the gear 3| is withheld from rotation, unwinding ofV the spring is prevented-by engagement of the pawl 32 with the wheel 33.

In mesh'with the gear 3| is a pinion 36 affixed to an escapement wheel 31, both being keyed to a shaft 38 journaled in the sub-plates I8 and I9. A pallet 38 is pivoted at 39 between the subplates I8 and I9, and carries an arm 4I terminating in a head 42 to constitute a clapper. A bell or gong 42 is secured to one side of a housing 44 snugly fastened to the back plate I0.

By reason of the arrangement just described energy stored in the spring 24, when released, mayv evidence itself as oscillation of the clapper against the bell, and as a consequent audible signal, the escapement operating for this purpose in the conventional manner. However, to restrain the driving mechanism during idle periods of the device, i. e. while the power line is functioning properly, there is provided a paramagnetic latch 5I having a bent-over portion 52 adapted to'engage below'the arm 4I when the latter is in neutral position, i. e. when the pallet 38 is in locking engagement with the wheel 31, and unwinding of the spring 24 therefore prevented.

The latch 5I is hinged at its upper end by providing notches 55-55 therein which are engaged over portions 55--56 formed in the shelf 51. Assembly of the latch 5I with respect to the shelf 51 is facilitated by means of a slot 59 through which the latch may be passed, and thereafter tted into operative position as shown. The forward margin of the slot 59 may be suitably formed to provide a downwardly directed lug 6I serving as a back'stop for the latch 5I. A spring 62 eX- tending between the upper extremity of the latch 5I and a hook 63 secured to the back-plate I 0 biases the latch to releasedposition, and as indicated in phantom in Fig. 4.

The shelf 57 is preferably formed as an eXtenslon of a base 64, these together constituting a part of the magnetic path or yoke for the coil 65, which includes a Vcore 66, and by means of which and a screw 6l the coil is supported on the yoke. Prongs I2'-I2 are riveted to lugs SI-B'I forming the leads to the coil 65.

From the foregoing description it will have become apparent that as long as the coil 65 is energized, corresponding to voltage n the line of a predetermined value, the latch I will be held in to restrain the clapper 42 against movement. On the other hand, upon failure of voltage or diminution thereof below a preselected norm the latch will be biased by the spring 62 to free the clapper for action, and the sounding of an audible signal. Ita-establishment of voltage will retract the latch to clapper-restraining position, whereupon the spring may be re-wound for a succeeding event.

It is possiblethat an alarm may be given with no one within hearing distance. In such case it is desirable to provide a supplementary visible signal which will be evident without close inspection'. Thus, a person returning to the place 1y. When the spring 24 has been fully wound (Fig. 6) the plunger 7 is positioned with practically its entire extent concealed, the spring 'I5 Y effecting such action. However, upon release of the spring 2li, and consequent unwinding thereof, the perimeter thereof will increase to an extent which will force the plunger II to the position shown in Fig. 4, and whereat nearly all of the body plunger sexposed. By coloring that portion of the plunger in a distinctive manner, e. g. red, a visible indication is readily obtained.

By locating the prongs I2-I2 adjacent the margin of the device the same may be engaged in one pair of slots of a conventional duplex receptacle without the need of covering, and hence rendering useless, the neighboring receptacle. Moreover by providing the spring 'I5 the ydevice is made independent of the effect of gravity, as would otherwise be the case if the spring were omitted, and the device installed with the plunger lI directed downwardly. It will be understood that the force of the spring 15 is less than the maximum radial force component of the spring 24 measured paraxially of the plunger 7|.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course,

that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by the appended claim to cover any such modifications as fall within the true I spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: An alarm device comprising a housing, a motor driven by a coil spring supported in said housing,

' a bell supported in said housing, a clapper for said bell, means interconnecting said motor and clapper for actuation of said clapper, braking means for restraining unwinding of said spring, electrically-operated means coactive with said braking means which, upon energization, wil1 ac- WILLIAM RUSNAK.

REFERENCES CITEDV The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 460,114 Colton Sept. 29, 1891 1,061,763 Loeiiler May 13, 1913 1,903,449 Gath Apr. 11, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 223,068 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1924. 438,170 Germany Dec. 10, 1926 

